Numerous deodorizing compositions are known in the art and are commercially available. Many such compositions include perfumes and the like for masking malodors. Compositions which rely on perfumes for masking malodors typically have limited effectiveness in deodorizing properties and are generally ineffective once the perfume component has dispersed. On the other hand, compositions which employ odor elimination agents which react with odor causing materials are typically more effective in reducing malodors. For example, the Maurer U.S. Pat. No. 5,534,249 discloses methods for reducing malodors by use of complexes of metals and polyfunctional organic ligands which neutralize, rather than merely mask, odor causing materials. Maurer discloses compositions containing about 5 weight percent of disodium monocopper citrate for use in ammonia-containing cold room environments and carpet deodorizinl) compositions containing about 20 weight percent monozinc citrate.
Although it is often desirable to employ deodorizing compositions in health care facilities to eliminate malodors, it is frequently not safe to do so in environments where compromised resistance to chemical and/or microbiological challengies are common, for example in operating rooms, intensive care units, neonatal nurseries and the like. That is, compositions adapted for spraying as a mist or aerosol in such environments will typically come into contact, or at least are not easily prevented from coming into contact, with the skin, eyes and/or mucous membranes of the oro-nasal and/or respiratory tracts of those in the proximate area of application. Absorption into the blood can result from such contact, for example through the mucous membranes, amounting to parenteral administration of the components from such sprays, and such contact can often be detrimental to an individual's health, particularly in humans or animals having compromised resistance. As many conventional deodorizing compositions contain components which will exhibit one or more disadvantageous effects upon this type of human contact, it is not safe to spray such deodorizing compositions in these environments.
For example, various conventional deodorizing spray ingredients include cocoamidopropyl betaine (a contact dermatitis agent), formaldehyde (a protein denaturant, skin sensitizer and probable carcinogen), morpholinium (an eye irritant and skin sensitizer), adamantane (a neurotransinission contact blocker, systemic sensitizer and possible reactant with RNA), benzalkonium chloride (a skin sensitizer), ethanol and/or methanol (teratogenic/neurotoxic agents), triethylene glycol (a neuromuscular depressor), and quaternary ammonium compounds (skin sensitizers), and the like. Thus, deodorizing compositions containing such components are not safe for use in environments where contact of the compositions with humans having compromised resistance to chemical or microbiological challenges is anticipated or not easily prevented, for example in health care facilities such as operating rooms, intensive care units, neonatal nurseries and the like, and a need exists for deodorizing compositions which can be safely employed in such environments.